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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27094672">Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WebbedBed/pseuds/WebbedBed'>WebbedBed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Feels, Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Awkward Sexual Situations, Awkwardness, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, tagging is hard and the least fun part of the writing process</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 03:41:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27094672</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WebbedBed/pseuds/WebbedBed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Only two students escaped Danganronpa Season 53, and soon afterward they were recovered by the Future Foundation. </p><p>This is the story of the time they spent together in a hospital.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akamatsu Kaede/Saihara Shuichi, Akamatsu Kaede/Shirogane Tsumugi, Saihara Shuichi/Shirogane Tsumugi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My brain is a useless pile of swiss cheese, so any contradictions from V3's canon are some combination of "Deliberate retcon so this fic can work" and "Accidental retcon because I forgot a canon detail." Apologies for the latter ahead of time.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shuichi Saihara was overwhelmed. It'd been just three days since he was taken to the hospital he was now in, and just a week since he'd escaped The Killing Game. Outside of the school, a helicopter descended to rescue him; a large FF emblazoned on the side. He 'knew' that the Future Foundation had established the Gofer Project to save humanity. What was the reality, at least as he was told, was that that was a lie. The Future Foundation were actually dedicated to repairing the aftereffects of something called The Tragedy, and to fighting Despair; the kind that The Killing Game had been generating by being aired to countless people. They told him that the Killing Game ran non-stop; every time it ended it seemed like a new cast of sixteen students were being aired through the Internet. The Future Foundation told Shuichi that Team Danganronpa hadn't been airing any new games since Kiibo destroyed the school, and the explosion was what led them to him. </p><p>It was... a lot. About his fourth earth-shattering revelation in a few weeks. Shuichi was under the impression that, once you left the cave, you never had to leave it again. But, based on the fact that he had been in the hospital for a few days and no robot bears had shown up, he was safe. Safe, and alone with his own thoughts.</p><p>Well, not exactly alone, Shuichi thought to himself as he looked over. His hospital bed had a curtain to the left of it, but he already knew who was on the other side. The Mastermind of the Killing Game; Tsumugi Shirogane.</p><p>It was almost surreal for Shuichi. She had been responsible for this. Kaede, Kaito, Maki, and Himiko. All of his friends were dead, entirely because of her. And Kokichi died too. Shuichi knew she was back there because, every once in a while, a nurse would walk by Shuichi and ask her a few hushed questions. Occasionally it wouldn't be nurses or doctors, but a man in a suit. He had asked to be moved away from her, but all the nurses and doctors told him that it was an issue of space at the hospital. </p><p>Of course, it wasn't nearly as bad as his arms. Shuichi eye's glazed over them, how they hung from the ceiling in front of him. They'd been completely destroyed getting out of the school. Shuichi didn't blame him, but he wished that Kiibo would've been a bit more careful when he was destroying the school. Shuichi was pretty sure it was quite unprofessional of the doctor to describe his arms as 'fleshy sacks of broken bones,' but it seemed like an accurate enough description. Trying to move them was impossible, but at least he couldn't feel much in them. </p><p>Shuichi glared intently at the curtain, his mind refocused on his unwanted neighbor. He had found new confidence over the last few days, in spite of it all. Maybe it was that he was finally free of The Killing Game, but for some reason, he seemed to think clearer than when he was in that school. Words came more naturally to him, and it seemed like his thoughts had become streamlined. And most of his thoughts were about The Killing Game, and how Tsumugi fit into it. She had explained a lot back at the school, but most of her answers just gave Shuichi more questions. </p><p>Why was it done? What exactly is Despair? Isn't Despair supposed to be a bad thing? If so, why would someone create 53 seasons of teens murdering each other to spread it?</p><p>Questions like that made his head hurt, so he tried to focus on the smaller ones.</p><p>How much of his personality is downloaded into him? How much of Tsumugi's personality is downloaded into her? </p><p>He decided to get even smaller. Shuichi almost didn't want to know the answers to those. </p><p>What were the logistics of running a Killing Game? How much money did it cost, and how would you get that much money for such a project? How was it aired and the creators not tracked down? </p><p>Good, those were the kind of questions he needed to ask.</p><p>How much of the Killing Game is Tsumugi and how much of it is Team Danganronpa? Why create such an elaborate lie based around the Gofer Project and an apocalypse? How did Tsumugi hide being the Mastermind from everyone else?</p><p>And then they focused on the questions he would ask her if he had the guts to.</p><p>Was there anyone you regretted killing? Do you feel regret now? How does it feel to be the only person willing to die for The Killing Game, and to be one of the only survivors? </p><p>Why are you alive but no one else is?</p><p>And, by accident, Shuichi said one out loud.</p><p>"Did you know Rantaro?"</p><p>The oxygen was sucked out of Shuichi's side of the room, and he held his breath. He didn't mean to say anything. They hadn't spoken to anyone not wearing a white medical outfit for their entire stay at this hospital, and Shuichi preferred it that way. Shuichi wasn't ready to talk to her, at least, not without a podium.</p><p>"What was that?" </p><p>The soft yet piercing voice of Tsumugi Shirogane seemed to shoot right through the curtain into Shuichi's ears, in spite of the confusion evident in her tone. Shuichi sighed a little, deciding that if he had already asked the question, there was no reason to try not to get an answer.</p><p>"Did you know Rantaro Amami?"</p><p>There was another pause. This one was longer. Long enough that Shuichi began to wonder if she even intended to respond.</p><p>"Why do you want to know?"</p><p>"Rantaro was in another Killing Game. I wondered if you had been the Mastermind for that one too."</p><p>Another bit of silence.</p><p>"No, not for that one. Rantaro was my brother."</p><p>Shuichi's fists clenched and his eyes shot open, his mind instantly and fully alert.</p><p>"Brother?"</p><p>"Yes, before this season he was Rantaro Shirogane." </p><p>That was... an answer. Very far from the one Shuichi expected. A part of him wondered if, for whatever reason, she was lying. He doubted it, the more he thought about it. Tsumugi had lied through her teeth during that trial because she had something to gain by withholding information. Here, the only thing holding her back would've been shame. And Shuichi wondered how much of that she actually had. </p><p>"So you killed your brother?"</p><p>And this time there was no answer. Shuichi somewhat expected that. Now he retracted his earlier comment, Tsumugi did have shame. It just took fratricide to bring it out. </p><p>Shuichi really wanted to ask more questions, but he decided to be patient. He didn't expect Tsumugi to want to answer his questions. Really, he didn't want to ask them. It felt too raw, too recent, to pry into. But part of him felt that he had to know. It was those detective instincts again. The ones that, now, Shuichi felt like he didn't want. </p><p>Boredom came back quickly. This crummy hospital didn't even have a TV. Knowing how they ran this place and based purely on room placements, they probably put the TV over on Tsumugi's side. For being the Mastermind to a Killing Game, she sure seemed to be getting good treatment. They hadn't even given Shuichi a book. One good mystery novel and all his brainpower would be put into that, and then he'd have a lot fewer problems as of now.</p><p>Shuichi started tracing his finger along the dips and hills of his blanket. It was a dark green, with prominent black stripes. It reminded him of his outfit back at the school. Although it was a hospital gown, Shuichi vastly preferred his current outfit. But just as Shuichi's mind started to wander to that blissfully empty state he wished it would go to, Tsumugi piped up.</p><p>"Why did you want to know about Rantaro?"</p><p>Part of him wanted to just repeat his earlier question, but he decided to have a little more tact. All that being snippy would do is make Tsumugi not want to talk to him, and as much as he didn't like it, his brain would not rest until at least some of his questions were answered. </p><p>"I have a lot of questions, but he just stuck out in my mind. We didn't know him for long."</p><p>"You didn't know him for long," Tsumugi retorted.</p><p>Shuichi almost audibly gasped. She was trying to correct him?</p><p>"Well, I didn't murder him."</p><p>A little more hostile then he intended, but it was true.</p><p>Another lengthy pause. </p><p>"I didn't want to."</p><p>And yet you still did, Shuichi thought to himself. He <em>really </em>wanted to say it out loud. But, he had to remind himself that he wanted information. And if that meant letting the worst person he knew vent to him, then so be it.</p><p>"You didn't want to?" He asked, trying to sound as caring and honest as possible. Her crying seemed to have cleared up.</p><p>"I had to, because of Kaede," She explained, and Shuichi was about ready to blow his top. Now she was trying to blame Kaede? Yeah, Kaede set the trap, but Tsumugi was the Mastermind, after all. It took a lot for him not to blurt that out. Although, it did give him an idea for another question.</p><p>"Well, how was the first trial supposed to go?" </p><p>"The shot put was supposed to hit."</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Shit, shit, shit! How did the shot put miss? Tsumugi watched in horror on her screen as, instead of braining Rantaro, the shot put plopped to the floor next to him. This put the entire show in jeopardy. If Rantaro didn't die, they couldn't use Kaede's execution. If they didn't use Kaede's execution, they lost the shocking plot twist of Shuichi usurping her status as main character. And if Kaede's leadership over the class wasn't gone, Tsumugi couldn't be sure that Kirumi would kill Ryoma, or that any of her other plans for future chapters would come to fruition.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She instantly knew what she had to do, and she desperately didn't want to. As she jogged through the halls to get to Rantaro, she tried to brainstorm any other possible options she had. And as Tsumugi got closer, she slowly realized that there was only one thing she could do for her plan.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hello, Tsumugi," Rantaro said as she approached him. He was obviously a little confused, which worked for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She walked right past him and picked up the shotput. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, that thing," He began. "Yeah, I'm not entirely sure what's happening right now. There was a flash and-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tsumugi cut him off by kicking him right in the shin. He exclaimed and and his body tilted a little, giving Tsumugi the perfect shot. She raised the shot put above her head and slammed it into the back of Rantaro's head. There was a disgusting thunk, and Rantaro collapsed to the ground. Tsumugi carefully planted the shotput in its original spot, moved his body, and fled the scene. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>As Tsumugi returned to where she was supposed to be, she tried to push any other thoughts out of her head. The story was being written, and it would be the best Killing Game ever. It had to be</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Tsumugi shivered a little when she remembered it. Regret was... certainly a new feeling. Then again, she hadn't really thought about that during the game. She had been more busy focusing on the now. Now that she had nothing to do all day but sit in her hospital bed, her thoughts kept returning to that moment. The surprise in his eyes, the sound of the shotput hitting his head, the feeling of dragging him around to set up the crime as it was supposed to be. She knew the name of what she was feeling. It was regret. But, the mere fact that that was the emotion that came to mind was confusing to her. </p><p>She wasn't supposed to regret anything she did during the Killing Game. She had intended to tell the greatest story possible, and she did. And with the way that K1-B0 ended the game, she had a good claim to masterminding the most entertaining Killing Game of all time.</p><p>So why wasn't she happy about that? She got everything she wanted, and yet she still didn't feel fulfilled. Maybe it was her leg. </p><p>Tsumugi looked down at her bed. The bulge in the blanket from her left leg went down as far as it was supposed to, but her right leg only went half as far. It had been amputated, from the knee down. Crushed by debris from the falling school. She would've died there if it wasn't for them. Himiko and Maki pulled her out of the rubble of the school as it was collapsing, and tried to help her out. But Tsumugi made it out, and they didn't. She still didn't quite understand it herself. </p><p>It was all too much to think about. Between Future Foundation doctors checking up on her healing, to the Future Foundation themselves interrogating her, and now Shuichi's questions on top of it. There was no room to breathe in this stupid hospital. At least Shuichi had been quiet for awhile. Talking to him felt awkward.</p><p>Her thoughts refocused on her situation. She had snitched, yes. She would tell them everything they wanted to know about Team Danganronpa, and in exchange, she wouldn't be thrown in a high-tech oubliette. Tsumugi knew that the Future Foundation was more than capable of holding up their end of the bargain, so she knew she was at least safe. But Tsumugi was more focused on what she'd do now. Her entire life was ahead of her as soon as she got out of that hospital, and she had no idea what she was going to do. She'd have to live in isolation, that was for certain. People wouldn't be keen on seeing a Mastermind walking the streets, and the last thing she wanted was Team Danganronpa getting their hands on her. </p><p>Life as a shut-in sounded... pretty fucking awful. The character of Tsumugi Shirogane didn't show it, but Tsumugi really liked people. They were nice to be around. And the thought of spending her life in some house, afraid of the outside world, constantly alone, sounded like its own hell. A little voice in the back of her head told her it was what she deserved, but she quashed it near-instantly. Self-pitying wouldn't get her anything but a dozen cats and a local rumor that she was a witch. </p><p>It was a definite problem. Maybe she could disguise herself. After all, she had just lived a 24/7 life among fifteen other students who never suspected her real identity, for the most part. Some hair dye, some contacts, a little bit of a different posture... maybe it was possible.</p><p>Tsumugi tried to relax a little as she planned. Brown hair and brown eyes... that was easy enough. Quite inconspicuous, and different enough from the hair and eye color people would know her with. Use more restrained body language, maybe an accent? She used to be able to do a good British accent. And she spoke English well enough. All she'd have to do is convince the Future Foundation to let her immigrate. And change her appearance. And help her get new information for every facet of her life. Maybe a bit of money too.</p><p>And it was with that thought that Tsumugi realized that it was a stupid idea. The depressing thought of being a hikikimori for the rest of her life came back, and she tried to push the thought out of her head. </p><p>Tsumugi tried to relax in her bed. It was already evening when Shuichi had talked to her, and after this long it must have been approaching night.</p><p>As if on cue, the lights to their shared hospital room shut off.</p><p>That meant it was night, and Shuichi was trying to go to sleep. That meant his senses would be dulled, and even if he did hear anything he'd be more likely to just ignore it. Tsumugi needed some stress relief, and she needed it now.</p><p>Her hand awkwardly tucked under the mattress and began moving down her body. She squeezed and groped her right breast, trying to eek out some kind of arousing feeling. Tsumugi closed her eyes and tried to pretend that someone else was groping her. Someone really hot... like Kaede Akamatsu. That's it, Kaede was in bed with her, lovingly rubbing her breast while looking deep into her eyes. Kaede slowly ran her down Tsumugi's body, her fingers dancing across her flesh like a ballerina swaying to a ballad played by the Ultimate Pianist herself. Kaede finally reached Tsumugi's nethers and...</p><p>Tsumugi wasn't wet at all. That was... an issue. Usually, Kaede was an easy source of arousal for Tsumugi. She was beautiful, had <em>great </em>breasts, was kind, empathetic, gregarious; it was plain to see that Kaede was the perfect girl. After all, Tsumugi wrote her that way. </p><p>So why wasn't she wet?</p><p>Tsumugi decided that she was getting impatient, she just needed to lie back and think of Ultimate Penis... Pianist. </p><p>Oh, that was it. She just needed to get kinkier.</p><p>Kaede's bulge was evident in her panties as she slid over Tsumugi's body like a hunter analyzing its prey. Part of Tsumugi recognized the inherent issue in using a girl with a penis as a sex object, but as of now? She didn't care. Kaede was grinding against her, feeling and groping every inch of her body as her hips moved lower and lower down. Kaede planted a small kiss on Tsumugi's breast as she reached her destination, grinding against Tsumugi's vagina.</p><p>Okay, now we're getting somewhere, Tsumugi thought. And the wetness she felt showed that her body agreed.</p><p>Kaede brought Tsumugi into a deep kiss, exploring the Ultimate Cosplayer's mouth with her tongue. Tsumugi reciprocated, as their tongues began dueling. Kaede, meanwhile, slid her panties off and rested her length on Tsumugi, letting the blue-haired girl squirm under her own arousal. Slowly, painfully slowly, Kaede slid inside of her. Kaede began slowly, before building up to a monstrous pace. It isn't long before Kaede cums. And she cums again. And again. And again...</p><p>And in spite of Kaede's penis being the largest thing Tsumugi could imagine while still being biologically feasible, <em>SHE DIDN'T FEEL A FUCKING THING!</em></p><p>Tsumugi had easily been finger-fucking herself for five minutes at the very least now, and she felt the same as before. No, worse than that, because earlier she was just anxious. Now she was anxious <em>and </em>frustrated. </p><p>Tsumugi blamed the hentai. After so many years of incest, rape, bestiality, loli/shotacon, and guro, Tsumugi's sensitivity was already way lower than the average... non-chronic masturbator's. The fact that she'd been masturbating about twice a day during the Killing Game for the exact reason she was now was also probably at fault. After all that extreme stuff, her capacity for arousal probably resembled a melted candle.</p><p>But, an idea sprung to her head. If it was the kinky stuff that had burned her out, maybe she needed to go the other direction. Tooth-rotting fluff, with sex as an expression of love rather than sex for its own sake. If the back door was closed, you go in through the mouth. That... didn't make sense. But, Tsumugi could work with that. She'd read enough yuri in her time. </p><p>Her thoughts went back to Kaede. She was wearing a beautiful pink dress, frilly and ornate. She was laying on a large, expensive bed that had crimson covers. They looked about as expensive as the dress, and just as soft. Tsumugi was wearing a teal dress herself. Kaede sits on the bed and looks at Tsumugi lovingly, like they're married. Yeah, it's their wedding night, and it's time to consummate the marriage. </p><p>Tsumugi approaches Kaede, and the Ultimate Pianist holds out a hand. Tsumugi carefully reaches out to hold it, before leaning down to plant a kiss on it. It's a beautiful hand, in every way imaginable. Tsumugi kisses it again, and again. Her kisses start moving up, onto Kaede's wrist. Tsumugi leans forward a little as her kisses travel up Kaede's arm. Kaede is letting out breathy moans as Tsumugi pushes her back, and she gracefully falls onto her back. Tsumugi begins taking off Kaede's dress, admiring her perfect form. Kaede smiles at her, and as Tsumugi smiles back she sees the noose tightening around Kaede's neck. Kaede is yanked off the bed and onto a gigantic piano, with a Monokuma conducting for the automated system. Kaede grips at the rope, trying in vain to free herself as she's jerked around to hit the various keys on the surface. Tsumugi can hear her gagging and crying as the rope moves in such a way to jerk her around without actually breaking her neck. </p><p>And Tsumugi's hand falls to her side, still wet with her own fluids. She feels a tear come to her eye as she remembers the sight. She was fucking pathetic. She couldn't even masturbate right at this point.</p><p>It wasn't supposed to feel like this. When she was actually there, she had to leave so that the other Ultimates wouldn't see the smile on her face. Tsumugi Shirogane had won Chapter One, the story she wrote went down exactly as she wrote it. Online forums blew up in outrage that somehow the protagonist was the Blackened, the audience equally impressed and outraged at Tsumugi's natural talent for the plot twist. It was all she wanted.</p><p>So how come she regretted it?</p><p>Tsumugi knew the answer. She loved Kaede. She wrote Kaede into existence with all the traits Tsumugi found attractive in a girl, so of course, Tsumugi fell in love with the beautiful Ultimate. She had thought about marrying her, and they lived in a small house with a bed just small enough for them to sleep in. Their mornings, afternoons, and nights were filled with love and joy; and that was all they knew.</p><p>And then Tsumugi killed her. She had orchestrated, in meticulous detail, the death of someone she loved.</p><p>Not just a single someone, though. Rantaro and Kaede, both killed just a few days apart. </p><p>Tsumugi remembered when she saw Rantaro painting Kaede's nails. She was furious. That was her brother, doing the sort of thing that he had always done with Tsumugi, with the girl that Tsumugi loved. Tsumugi should've gotten to be a part of that. She should've been allowed to sit down with them, to have a moment of peace with them.</p><p>But a good author never lets their self-insert get too close to the plot. So Tsumugi killed them both. And now she was alone. </p><p>Tsumugi began to cry. She turned around and planted her face into her pillow, semi-aware of Shuichi being next to her. It was an ugly cry. She heaved and hyperventilated and wailed into that pillow, a tsunami of feelings destroying her thoughts. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to win. The season was perfect, and she was going to go down in history as the greatest Mastermind ever. And now all she had was a tired hand and a sense of guilt that seemed to be choking her. It was... unfair. Terrible. Awful. She didn't deserve this.</p><p>Loneliness. It was the first time she had felt it. Rantaro was dead, and she'd never see her parents ever again. Kaede was dead, their future together is nothing more than a pathetic masturbatory fantasy. All her friends at Team Danganronpa would want her dead for snitching. And no one in the world would want to be with a former Mastermind. All this Despair and Tsumugi hated it for the first time in her life. </p><p>Tsumugi flipped back once she stopped crying, although she was still shaking and whimpering. And she found herself focusing on the curtain. More specifically, the Ultimate Detective on the other side. Shuichi Saihara was the only person with any idea of what Tsumugi was going through. He must've been lonely too. No family, no friends, hell; they even shared the same dead love interest. In spite of the rational part of her mind telling her that he hated her, Tsumugi started thinking about Shuichi. </p><p>Her hand started to run down her body as she thought about the detective. His appealing figure, adorable shyness hiding a romantic determination, the intellect. He was... amazing. Tsumugi saw them on a beach, resting on a towel as the waves started to come onto the shore. He puts his arm around her and pulls her close, and the real Tsumugi let out a moan as the fantasy Tsumugi could only manage an embarrassing squeak. He plants a loving kiss on her cheek, and she responds in kind. He loves her, and he'll be with her forever.</p><p>Tsumugi came limply in her hospital bed, and she immediately began basking in the feeling of love the fantasy provided. It was absurd, but her mind latched onto the idea. She was going to be with Shuichi, she had to. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ayyyy you're at the bottom which means you read the whole thing. Thanks a ton, I'd love to hear what you thought of it in the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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